Getting a little too chummy there, Wally. You think all that cultural sensitivity training he got in the Army would have him avoid such vulgarity around Adeela, but he’s suddenly so relaxed he forgets himself. And rather than being offended, she’s actually amused by Wally’s coarse talk.

Since this story’s moving at such a slack pace, let’s pick apart the draughtsmanship. Ayers has always been a better cartoonist than Batiuk, But like Burchett (where’s he been, anyway?) I get the feeling he has to dumb down his style for Funky Winkerbean. Note the hirsute zombie in panel 1, and panel 2 Buddy’s deformed, mismatched legs.

Somehow this arc manages to insult your intelligence a little bit more each day. Post-traumatic stress disorder based on experiences in a warzone…is there anything it can’t do? Right now I’m yearning for the tornado siren, by far the most entertaining character in this arc. Sorry Buddy, but it’s true.

Both Ayers and Burchett seem like competent artists, but I’m sure the directive is to “make it look slapdash and careless, like me.” No wonder Burchett vanishes for months at a time; I’m sure he feels that this is NOT what he signed on for.

I was in Akron last Saturday and I guess it was Akron comic con. I wish I would have known that Batty was scheduled to appear that day. Be fun to ask questions like this. Hey Tom, so I heard you met Stan Lee, how did that go?

You mention Buddy’s mismatched legs, but failed to mention the ridiculous strap that’s chafing him just below his anus. When he’s not shitting on it he’d no doubt be dragging his ass along the ground because of its itchiness.

There is no dog vest or harness in the world that fits like that. Although perhaps it’s similar to how Becky’s sleeve is rammed into virtually every panel she’s in. He has to indicate that Buddy’s a service dog even when it screws up his art.